"Forests cover about 4.14 billion hectares, roughly a third of the world's land, and store 714 gigatons of carbon. They also support 80% of land-based biodiversity. However, we are losing 11 million hectares each year to deforestation, and the World Bank expects demand for forest-based products to rise by 400% by 2050."
"A 2023 Circularity Gap Report found that over 90% of materials entering the global economy come from nature and end up in landfills. This approach is not sustainable. If we do not change how we use and reuse fiber, forests will be depleted faster than they can recover."
"Loa's boldest idea is a royalty system that would pay forest owners a small fee each time fiber from their forest is reused or recycled into a new product. Currently, forest owners are paid only once, when they harvest a tree, and do not receive ongoing rewards for protecting ecosystems, conserving biodiversity, or supporting communities."
Forests cover one-third of global land and store 714 gigatons of carbon while supporting 80% of land-based biodiversity, yet 11 million hectares are lost annually to deforestation. Demand for forest-based products is projected to increase 400% by 2050 as industries replace fossil materials with wood fiber. Over 90% of materials entering the global economy originate from nature and end in landfills, demonstrating unsustainable consumption patterns. The Forest Stewardship Council's Circularity Hub is modernizing certification systems to incorporate circular business models like take-back and leasing programs. Additionally, FSC is developing frameworks to certify agricultural byproducts as alternative fibers, reducing pressure on forests. A proposed royalty system would compensate forest owners each time their fiber is reused or recycled, creating ongoing incentives for forest protection and ecosystem conservation.
#forest-conservation #circular-economy #sustainable-materials #forest-certification #fiber-recycling
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